Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona, has announced that he will continue rounding up illegal immigrants despite a directive from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that takes away his federal authority to do so. Good God, I love this guy!

Arpaio rose to fame with his hard-nosed, common sense approach to law enforcement. Inmates are housed in tents in the Arizona desert, given bologna sandwiches for meals, and are treated to classical music and Frank Sinatra via KJOE, the in-house radio station run from Joe's basement. Girlie magazines, coffee, and cigarettes (ouch) are not allowed. Residents of the jail sport pink underwear and can volunteer to work on chain gangs, and liberals worldwide have called his measures inhumane. Of course they have. The lattes have been banned.

This Friday, Sheriff Joe is planning to do a sweep and round up illegal immigrants within his jurisdiction.

"I'm not gonna stop," Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said in an interview with FOXNews.com. He said the federal changes amount to a political hit job and that if Immigration and Customs Enforcement won't take illegal immigrants off his hands he'll personally drive them to the U.S.-Mexico border.

"Nothing will change," he said. "I'm not going to be deterred by any bully."

A man's man in law enforcement, Sheriff Joe has won re-election by resounding margins, the smallest being 13 percentage points in 2008. This makes the liberals crazy.

Frank Sharry, director of advocacy group America's Voice, said in a written statement last week that DHS should "pull the plug on bullies like Arpaio."

"It is making a historic mistake by lending the full force and legitimacy of the federal government to a rogue cop certain to go down in history as a serial violator of civil rights and an enemy of the Latino community," he said.

Mr. Sharry, what is your solution to the illegal immigrant problem plaguing the border states? Wait...I know. Give them all amnesty and they'll become productive, law-abiding citizens. Do you truly believe that, Mr. Sharry? And what about all those people from other countries who are following the proper path to citizenship? Are you suggesting that the rules be bent for only one segment of the immigrant population? I know you're a busy man with all the whining there is to do, but get back to me when you can.

Arpaio remains defiant. He said he's glad to be able to conduct immigration sweeps without having to follow federal guidelines.

"They can't stop this sheriff. I don't report to the feds. I report to the people," he said. "They should give me a medal -- shouldn't be the Nobel Peace Prize, but it should be something."

First off, a big BAM! to BHO with the NPP remark. Second, he knows who pays him. This guy is great.

Rest assured that should I ever get to make the decision as to who to appoint as DHS Secretary, Sheriff Joe will be getting a call.